Gearing Up.

iPod.... synched.

Rosary... packed.

Mind... restless.

Suitcase... (almost) ready.

In just a few hours, I'll be getting on a bus with 90(!) other Auburn students and heading to Nashville for FOCUS Conference 2011! God is going to do some big things at this conference, and I can't wait to witness it!

Also present will be my Mom, my Grandma, and my two older sisters, Amanda and CeeCee.

I am excited for the impending mini-family reunion, and all of the other awesome things that are going to happen. I think my grandmother is going to be blown away. She is a devout and practicing Catholic, but hasn't been exposed to the vibrancy and life of the Church of late. There will be hundreds of college students who not only know who Jesus is, but are madly and passionately in love with Him, and are laying down every bit of themselves to glorify and serve Him. It is beautiful.

I think getting to see that is going to encourage, enliven, and inspire my Grandma (a.k.a. G-unit). I have a feeling the Holy Spirit is going to be moving a lot in my family... Pray that it may be so!

Now if I could only get my suitcase to pack itself...

Life to the Full

Today was an absolutely beautiful day-- a wonderful, sunny break from the gray weather we've been experiencing. To take advantage of that fact, one of my best friends, Kathlene, and I made a trip over to Chewacla State Park. (I think it's one of the best things about Auburn... and for the record, so is she! :) )

We spent the first part of our time lake-side, swinging or laying in the grass with the sunshine beaming down upon us. (Complete with a 3 PM Divine Mercy Chaplet!) It was gorgeous out, and being in God's creation made me feel so alive-- sometimes it's so easy to forget that Jesus came that we might have life to the FULL. I've been trying harder to live a full life lately.

Before we left, we drove to the top of the park to look out over the quarry. The iPod was playing, and I was feeling inspired, so I couldn't resist dancing. (Yes, people stared when they drove by.)

It was a beautiful winter day.

We left the park with the intent to drive down county roads (a favorite pastime of ours). However, the car had a different idea.

The battery died three times, each time in a different place. The very last time was in the middle of an intersection. Kathlene got out and tried to push the car-- uphill-- but thankfully people were kind enough to help us... and instruct otherwise.

Needless to say, it was quite the experience.

It was pretty incredible just how many people stopped to help us. We even had a fire truck pull up to offer assistance, and one woman drove to get her husband and bring him back to help us. I guess two girls and a broken down car looks pretty pitiful. We were blessed by their kindness. (Thankfully, it wasn't dark yet!)

To recover, we treated ourselves to the ever-delicious Hibachi Express, and hung out at the Lower Center (ahem... Catholic Student Center) with another best friend, Mary. Thankfully, a few games of scatterball, Uno, some youtube videos, and a visit to Jesus in the chapel of the Mitcham House was enough to remove any traces of the traumatic car experience.

Praise God for such a beautiful day, full of beautiful people, and lots of laughter!

I have nothing to say.

So this will have to tide you over until my blogstipation is over. (Hi, CeeCee.)

Guess Who's Back?

... back again! And better than ever! (Hopefully, you'll think so too.)

I make no promises.

I am busy, probably too busy to try to start blogging again (especially at the start of the semester), but my fingers simply can't resist.

I would like to think my blog will now more accurately represent who I am-- it is strange to read my posts from only a year ago, and to realize that is no longer my voice. I have grown a lot. (No, I don't mean in height. I'm still praying for that one.)

So, who can say if I have been changed for the better (I do believe I have been changed for the better) but hopefully, you'll enjoy.

You're likely to see a shift from the essay/sermon/lecture style of before, and something that is a little more akin to what's inside my brain. Which just means I'm going to stop trying so hard to say super-profound things using smart-sounding words, and instead just sound like me. I forgive you if you stop reading now! (Hopefully, though, my unedited self is much less spastic than my 8th grade self, as my long lost xanga would give witness to. Let me know.)

There's likely to be a shift from talking about the things I've been thinking to the things I've been doing (... uh, who am I kidding?! I'm melancholic phlegmatic! Shall we call automatic fail on this one?) but, after all, you can't just THINK things for the greater glory of God... you must also DO them!

I'll leave you here. (I really like parenthesis.)